


Business in New Lands

by Merfilly



Category: Fifth Millennium Series - Shirley Meier & S. M. Stirling & Karen Wehrstein, Sword-Dancer Saga - Jennifer Roberson
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Bechdel Test Pass, Gen, Walk Into A Bar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:01:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24546574
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: Megan is in one of the few Southron ports to make business.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7
Collections: A Ficathon Goes Into A Bar





	Business in New Lands

The fact no one had been thrown through the doors of this cantina was promising, even as it made Megan certain she would not find her _akribhan _in this one.__

__At this rate, that might be a blessing from the Lady herself, given the oddness of trade in these lands. Shkai'ra's people barely saw gender at all, and these Southroners had strange ideas on women and property. Everyone mistook Shyll for the … _tanzeer_ , they called it, of their family._ _

__Apparently they were wealthy enough to be taken for a city-state all their own, as well. That had Megan's back up, and it was why she was prowling for extra arms to keep the ships safe, once they actually negotiated the harbor-price._ _

__She had been told by a man that didn't look as dark as the others and had pale eyes like Shkai'ra that they could hire sword-dancers for her needs. She did not think that he meant _cniffta_ players, especially when the answer to 'where' had been a shrug and 'cantinas'._ _

__She walked in, her short stature making it slightly difficult to get a view of the denizens easily, but the bar was raised so she went that way. It would be natural to look back around once she was on the higher ground it provided._ _

__Only, she didn't really need to look back around as she saw a woman unlike any she had seen so far in this place. Voluminous … she thought they were called _burnous_ garments, slit in such a way that a sword hilt peeked up over a shoulder. The woman's skin was very pale in comparison to the native women, and her hair was blonder than Shkai'ra's at mid-summer, with no hint of the fire that lit her _akribhan _'s tresses.___ _

____"Megan Whitlock," she said when the pale woman looked over at being studied. "You are a sword-dancer, I presume? I am looking to hire such."_ _ _ _

____"You have the rich ships, the ones for trade," the woman said. "Delilah. Call me Del. And… what are you paying in?"_ _ _ _

____"Trade or currency. Trade to be decided up front, delivered when we ready to leave. Currency after the dealing," Megan said. "This is a test trade, on behalf of the _Benai_ in Brahvniki-across-the-seas," Megan openly admitted. "If it goes well, more may follow."_ _ _ _

____"Making an opening for sword-dancers that sell their skills as guards, if all your ships come riding in so low in the waters," Del surmised. "I will need to talk to Tiger, to his son, but if they agree, you have three swords, and we will take it in trade and currency alike."_ _ _ _

____Megan smiled, a sharp expression as she idly tapped her iron nails on the bar. "I think I like the way you look at business." Trade goods up front, things they might not have access to, but currency for things they needed normally was a better salary all around._ _ _ _

____"I have to be the one to think things through. If you choose to sell to a caravan, Tiger might know the best one for getting your goods South, and Neesha may have good ideas for getting them North, as his mother's family does some trade that way, being Border people."_ _ _ _

____Megan noted the blue eyes had taken in the way the nails hit the wood, and that it didn't necessarily intimidate the woman._ _ _ _

____"Come to the dock in the morning. I will meet you, and we can discuss further," Megan said, a creeping feeling of doom suddenly between her shoulder-blades._ _ _ _

____Somewhere near, there were shouts of excitement and she just knew her _akribhan _was mixed up in it. Del seemed to be edgy now too, and both women dropped off the stools in unison, coins clattering even though Megan had not yet ordered.___ _ _ _

______She had taken time and space, which was meant to be paid for._ _ _ _ _ _

______Del said nothing, as they walked outside, and a big, very scarred man was waiting for a circle to be drawn… while Shkai'ra leaned on a wall and watched, blatantly on the scarred man's side as a younger man waited to face the scarred one._ _ _ _ _ _

______"Tiger?!" Del shouted._ _ _ _ _ _

______"He started it, _basha_ ," the scarred man said, and it made Megan laugh._ _ _ _ _ _

______"If his fight goes well, I'll pay for a meal," Megan told Del. "As he seems to have found my wife and impressed her… no easy thing to do. That way, I can get you under contract before he starts any more fights, yes?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______Del nodded once, sighing. "Is yours always trouble too?" she asked, having taken in the warrior's dangerous set of gear and weapons._ _ _ _ _ _

______"You have no idea."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Might have to swap story for story then, because Tiger's nothing but trouble on two legs."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Maybe these new lands wouldn't be as bad as she'd thought, Megan decided, settling to watch a sword-dance._ _ _ _ _ _


End file.
